What do you think of US soldiers?

[Samurai Goomba]

I don't blame them for the wars they fought in but always wonder why they don't say something or speak up against injustice when they know they would be/are in the right. Other than that, they are alright.

They probably do speak up, but you need to understand that the chain of command is absolute. Unless a soldier has the resolve to kill his commanding officers and desert (becoming a war criminal), there's very little he or she can do about an order he/she finds abhorrent.

"Sometimes doing the right thing ain't doing the right thing."
-McNulty

 

[mrhappyface]

Okay, yes you're correct that extremists are drawn from people, but their way of thinking is so radical, its nearly impossible to break or change them. And the Middle East was traditionally made of tribes that were always taken over by stronger powers, not necesarilly modern Western Powers. The Mongols, the Macedonians, the Romans, the Babylonians, all predate us and the British and the Soviet Union.

Their way of thinking is no more radical than the Crusaders.

The Middle East may have traditionally been made of tribes conquered by others, but it currently sits on geopolitical divisions that come from decisions made by Western powers during World War I and World War II (Sykes-Picot, et al).

If Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Syria came in, carved up the United States, and decided that Utah should be forced in two two artificial countries, how would you expect the Americans to react? Their "way of thinking" is a product of recent, American history.

No, their way of thinking hasn't changed. It just gave them somebody new to hate. The deep, tribal fury and harsh religious overtones along with the entry of the biggest player in the world to their countries just gave them somebody new to vent all their rage upon.

 

[Tirin]

It depends on the soldier himself. If he's a vicious monster who treats being in a war like most people do playing a video game, then yeah. That's stupid, and I don't think he should be allowed to live any longer.

On the other hand, if they just have to do their job, I can understand. That's how life is, sometimes you have to do things you don't want to. In their case, it might even be to save their own/another person's life, and that's certainly forgivable.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

Im CAF Reversit I have nothing but utter respect for my fellow men and women at arms.

 

[SonicKoala]

I hate the utmost respect and admiration for members of the US military - regardless of what a few rotten apples have done in the past, I think that the overwhelming majority of US soldiers are fine, upstanding individuals who are to be commended for the sacrifices they make for their country.

 

[Lord of Maggots]

"Just following orders."

I think two things about that. For one, I think they're good people holding to a code which is higher than the individual. Two, I think they're mindless; incapable of discerning right and wrong.

I have contradictions of thought.

Try telling me Im stupid and don't know right from wrong. I dare you. Yes we follow orders and those who give orders know right from wrong and every desicion made has had more thought put into it than you understand. so next time you want to call us "mindless" why dont you go stand in the middle of the desert with an rifle, and about 90lbs of gear in the hot sun, with thousands of men women and children who want to kill you and defend your own ass.

 

[Kimarous]

I have no opinion on the US military... but then, I'm both Canadian and inattentive to Middle Eastern conflicts.

 

[Earthmonger]

"Just following orders."

I think two things about that. For one, I think they're good people holding to a code which is higher than the individual. Two, I think they're mindless; incapable of discerning right and wrong.

I have contradictions of thought.

Try telling me Im stupid and don't know right from wrong. I dare you. Yes we follow orders and those who give orders know right from wrong and every desicion made has had more thought put into it than you understand. so next time you want to call us "mindless" why dont you go stand in the middle of the desert with an rifle, and about 90lbs of gear in the hot sun, with thousands of men women and children who want to kill you and defend your own ass.

I think your post speaks for itself.

 

[Arehexes]

"Just following orders."

I think two things about that. For one, I think they're good people holding to a code which is higher than the individual. Two, I think they're mindless; incapable of discerning right and wrong.

I have contradictions of thought.

I took JROTC and my instructor taught us that if your ever given a order that you feel is wrong you should question it and not blindly follow it.

 

[Timotei]

I think they throw puppies off of cliffs....and that makes me sad panda.

What if they start throwing sad pandas off a cliff?

It's not like the indigenous population didn't do things to their animals, they just didn't have cameras present. As for the soldiers who did it, well... fuck-ups always find a way into any profession.

"Just following orders."

I think two things about that. For one, I think they're good people holding to a code which is higher than the individual. Two, I think they're mindless; incapable of discerning right and wrong.

They are more than capable of discerning right an wrong, it's just that they have been taught to suppress all individual behavior while in a combat situation. Out of combat, they are individuals who are more than capable of rational thought and emotion.

I think the ROTC should be ashamed of itself for looking for applicants IN WAR-TIME, where the lovely college education they're providing for you is supplanted by "We need you overseas, pronto."

That's what it's been like in any country that has officers training programs that has ever been engaged in war.

I think the majority of modern day soldiers are fools that are brain washed by propaganda and their own idiocy who sign up to go and kill people.

So what about peopel like me who want to be combat medics? Would that make me a brainwashed idiot, or just someone who wants to help others?

There are also some people who have no other option but military service because they may not be suitable for many other jobs; or people who grew up in poor families and want to go to college yet don't have the money; how about the person who just wants to make themselves better than what they are.

The requirement for every soldier is that they will be able to perform basic combat duties if need be and be trained to kill someone who is out to kill them without hesitation, though that doesn't mean they want to.

But america has beaten the british twice.

Your parents must be so proud they birthed such a historian.

 

[Ocelot GT]

they're hawt, I want one

 

[Chipperz]

I think there are at least enough US soldiers who tell UK soldiers how to do their jobs that I've heard multiple stories of them almost getting "accidentally" clipped in combat by my mates in the local barracks.

I also think that, while I don't agree with anything they're doing right now, the sheer ammount of bravery/suicidal tendencies it requires to sign up to a job where you get shot at is worthy of respect.

 

[BENZOOKA]

I've done my armed service/conscription in the Finnish Defence Forces so I'm a soldier in reserve myself. I don't think of US soldiers too differently than of any other soldiers. The equipment is one of the biggest things that are a whole lot different.

It is interesting to see, if we will join NATO some day, that will change some things. Although, we've already changed the angular measurement to the system where there is 6000 units, air forces have done some changes I think and we've even changed to a NATO alphabet in the military.

I don't know what you're personal role as a US soldier is, so I can't know what you know about these kind of things; As an artillery observer myself, the first thing that actually came to my mind was that you've got GPS. US army has their own satellites and therefore a secured GPS. We don't have our own satellites so we use a lot more subtle and primitive communications (like cables and radio) and target acquiring systems.

Everything that requires positioning, and there are a lot of important things, we have a way of doing it without using GPS. Because of the fact that we do that and many other things more manually and do not rely so much on technology, I think that we've got a better touch to the basics. And we have far more experience when it comes to arctic conditions.

Not trying to do too much competitive comparing here, but can't help it. It's fun. We're practically on the same side anyways, even without belonging to a same military alliance.

 

[Angerwing]

But that's the problem. In recent times, US soldiers HAVEN'T been used for the defence of their home country. I have nothing against the soldiers themselves, and would think much higher if they WERE defending the country, but as it stands, most of the time they're just 'liberating' countries.

To clarify though, that isn't the soldier's fault, and I have no disrespect for them.

If the war ever reaches home, we'll be in a world of shit. So we root out potential threats before they can attack. The best defense is a good offense.

Vietnam: Misplaced fears over Communism. America wasn't under threat. They just hated Communism.
Lebanon: America intervening to help people sympathetic to their world view.
Grenada: No real reason to intervene. America felt like it.
Beirut: American led UN intervention.
Panama: Team America: World Police.
Gulf War: Again, 'liberation'.
Somalia: Peacekeeping.
Kosovo/Yugoslavia: Interventionism.
War on Terrorism: Defending America. Legit.
- Afghanistan: Mostly ending the Taliban reign, but since they're linked to al-Qaida, I'll concede that one.
- Philippines: Invited by government to end terrorists.
Liberia: Used military force to strong-arm a man out of there.
Iraq: Pure interventionism.

In almost all of these examples, America was never at risk . Most of it is America sticking their nose in other people's business. I understand that if war gets to America, that would be BAD, but don't kid yourself in saying that all these examples are to defend America. Because that's just not true in the slightest.

 

[BloodyThoughts]

I am from the US and truly, I think they are spoiled. I don't care who flames me. But look at the military budget, then look at everyother budget in America.

 

[Christemo]

i think they are patriotic asshats who sits eating biscuits in Afghanistan while Denmark, Britain and the rest of Europe are just taking orders.

however, they are pretty awesome when they do this: